Pujols capturing the National League honor for the second time after a 2003 victory.

Thus proving the award meaningless. Twice. Pshaw!

Derek Jeter

Oh, was Mauer not eligible?

Thus proving the award meaningless. Twice. Pshaw!

Voted on by the fans, my friend. Which just goes to show you that, as bad as it is having sportswriters vote for the major 'hardware' awards, things could be a lot worse. The demotic rabble must be kept at bay!

Or maybe I've just been reading too much Thucydides lately.

Voted on by the fans, my friend

Thank you for pointing this out. You just saved me the embarrassment of incorrectly raging against the writers.

Thus proving the award meaningless. Twice. Pshaw!

I'm amused that having Derek Jeter beat out the guy who led the AL in all three slash categories isn't what renders the award meaningless to you; it's the winner who actually deserved it not winning it often enough in the past. Not that I disagree on the worth of the award, mind you.

#5,
It's ridiculous that the award apparently has no vagueness to it as it's a hitting award and as you pointed out Mauer led the league in all 3 slash categories...how can he not win? Oh yeah, it's voted on by Joe public.

Maybe Joe Public values playing time.

Joe Mauer played in 138 games this year. 606 plate appearances. That's not enough playing time?

Maybe Joe Public values playing time.

Joe Public values living and learning.

Also remember that Aramis Ramirez won this award last season.

It's about as indicative of the best hitter in the league as All-Start voting.

Also remember that Aramis Ramirez won this award last season.

It's about as indicative of the best hitter in the league as All-Start voting.

Honestly, Aramis Ramirez and Derek Jeter being voted as the best hitter in their league is quite a bit worse, I think, than any All-Star voting. Usually, undeserving All-Star starters are guys that either have some plausible case or were All-Stars at some time in the past and are just past their prime. I'm a Cubs fan, and I like the guy, but has Aramis Ramirez ever been one of the 10 or 20 best hitters in the National League at any point in his career?

I remember when they created this award, and thought it would become a "cy young version for hitters" type of award, that rightfully awards player strictly for their offensive contribution. I thought to myself...not bad, let's wait about ten years or so, and then it will have stuck in the minds of the fans and be at least on par with the role-aids relief award in respectability... then they added fan voting because someone, somewhere didn't want to wait the time it takes for the public conscious to latch onto these newer ideas, which of course turned an original good idea into pretty much a waste. I just wish people in power would leave good ideas alone and let them mature. Heck the original modern Olympics didn't feature too much of the best talent in the world either, these things take time.

Heck the original modern Olympics didn't feature too much of the best talent in the world either, these things take time.

Now we have the finest ballroom dancers known to man.

Joe Mauer played in 138 games this year. 606 plate appearances. That's not enough playing time?

Jeter had 153 games and 716 PAs. Maybe Joe Public has a seriously low replacement level.

I'm not really serious here. There are probably at least a dozen better choices for the award then Jeter. But Mauer might sacrifice enough playing time to a guy like Teixiera (707 PAs) to not be a shoe in, I don't know, I haven't looked at the numbers. I would have voted for Mauer.

With more than 600 PA's Mauer should've been a shoe-in for the award. It's an award for best hitter. Mauer was the best in both average and slugging, how can you beat that? Even non primer types can figure this out...well apparently not, but geez it does cheapen the award in my opinion.

I'm not one who's really big on awards, however Mauer did have a season for the ages and surely some recognition is deserved(I'm hoping the writers won't f-up the mvp award)

With more than 600 PA's Mauer should've been a shoe-in for the award. It's an award for best hitter. Mauer was the best in both average and slugging, how can you beat that? Even non primer types can figure this out...well apparently not, but geez it does cheapen the award in my opinion.

I'm not one who's really big on awards, however Mauer did have a season for the ages and surely some recognition is deserved(I'm hoping the writers won't f-up the mvp award)

I can see some arguing for Runs Created, or Total Bases or some other stuff, there is not one argument though that exists that can put Jeter ahead of Mauer as far as an offense only award.

I'm not one who's really big on awards, however Mauer did have a season for the ages and surely some recognition is deserved(I'm hoping the writers won't f-up the mvp award)

I'd say there's a greater chance he wins unanimously than someone else takes it. He had it won before the final two weeks of the season, but the Twins coming back to take the AL Central in a playoff would have convinced the lone Silvas left among the electorate.

And CP is right. If you could make an argument for Jeter over Mauer on a playing time basis (which I wouldn't), and while you can make an argument for Jeter as the runner-up to Mauer in an MVP race, you can't make an argument for Jeter over any number of guys for an award based entirely on offensive performance.

for the second time after taking it in 1996

Wait. An internet vote in 1996? I don't think so. Marty!

{checks the stats; Jeter was a rookie; JuanGone the MVP, Belle led with 148 RBI, and ARod batted 358/414/631 and won the batting title}

Why is it so hot in here?
MARTY!

[/Cosmo]

then they added fan voting because someone, somewhere didn't want to wait the time it takes for the public conscious to latch onto these newer ideas, which of course turned an original good idea into pretty much a waste.

If I remember correctly...Aaron was on board with the award from the beginning and now they have to trot him out for this make believe award. Last year you could see he wasn't too pleased with doing it.

Joe Public values living and learning.

I laughed.

I laughed.

Bless you.

I remember when they created this award, and thought it would become a "cy young version for hitters" type of award, that rightfully awards player strictly for their offensive contribution.

But when it was created, didn't it have some wacky objective formula based on counting stats and heavy on the RBI? Wiki says yes -- some weighted formula of hits, HRs and RBI ... but wiki doesn't give the formula. They dumped that idea after one year and the vote was given not to the writers but the broadcasters -- each team's radio and TV play-by-play and colour guys. Then in 2003, they added a fan vote component but wiki says this only counts for 30%.

Anyway, seems you're given 3 in each league to choose from so somebody first decided Jeter was in the AL top 3. And he must have done reasonably well in the writer vote to at least be close enough for the fans to put him over the top.

Wow, there's been an "outstanding DH" award since 1973 ... renamed the Edgar Martinez Award in 2004. Edgar won it 5 times and Ortiz won it 5 straight from 2003-2007.

Oh, Jeter's first win was in 2006. I was gonna snark all over that but got distracted by the storied 36-year history of the ODH. So this is twice now Jeter has jonesed Mauer on the Aaron award!!

(Actually, you can make a good case for Jeter in 2006)

Mauer should have won this.

Jeter should win the AL MVP.

The converse is very likely.

Jeter should win the AL MVP.

Um, no.

Jeter should win the AL MVP.

He swings . . . he misses.

Jeter had 153 games and 716 PAs. Maybe Joe Public has a seriously low replacement level.

Jeter had 110 more PAs than Mauer this year. If you tacked on 110 extra PAs to Mauer's line, he would have to hit .189/.189/-.108 in those plate appearances for his overall numbers to drop to Jeter's level. Yes, that's a slugging percentage of -.108.

Jeter had 110 more PAs than Mauer this year. If you tacked on 110 extra PAs to Mauer's line, he would have to hit .189/.189/-.108 in those plate appearances for his overall numbers to drop to Jeter's level. Yes, that's a slugging percentage of -.108

BUT WHAT ABOUT POSITION ADJUSTMENT?

BUT WHAT ABOUT POSITION ADJUSTMENT?

Exactly. Case closed.

Jeter didn't deserved this award ..........Mauer should have won it .........I guess this was kind of People choice award

But i hate people saying that he is like 5th best hitter in his team ..........

but geez it does cheapen the award in my opinion.

Again: Aramis Ramirez won last year. This award is uncheapenable.

Jeter should win the AL MVP.


Um, no.

He swings . . . he misses.

Don't feed the trolls. This is this "person's" one and only posted comment on BBTF. Joined at 2:05 am today and posted at 2:07.